#1. The iPhone 7 has no headphone jack

Probably the most controversial of the recent alterations to the iPhone 7 is the decision to do away with the headphone jack. Apple is currently in the throes of a mini-revolt following the change. It means that a lot of consumers who upgrade their iPhone can say goodbye to using their favorite headphones. Unless of course you use their dongle that converts the input from lightning to headphone.

How does that affect me and my portable charger I bought last week?

The main concern is that without an extra port for your headphones, you can no longer charge your iPhone 7 and listen to audio at the same time. Well, actually, you can – if you buy one of these. It’ll set you back $40 and significantly decrease the amount of real estate left in your bag. And if you’re traveling and using a neck wallet or similar, space is often at a premium.

Surely I can’t be the only one who charges my phone with a power bank and listens to music at the same time? I do it while I’m shopping, commuting and spring cleaning, it’s kind of become a ritual for me.

#2. The iPhone 7’s second speaker

Products like Anker’s SoundCore Bluetooth Speaker may see in a rise in popularity after the iPhone 7 release later this month

We’ve said goodbye to the headphone jack and hello to an extra speaker. Presumably, Apple figure that removing the headphone jack means that less people will be connecting to their portable speakers via cable. This paves the way for a bigger, better and louder speaker system on the new iPhone 7.

But how will that affect the battery when you make use of that extra volume? The simple fact is, the louder the audio, the more the digital-analog converter needs power to produce more sound. The good news is that the effect on battery life is minimal and barely noticeable.

In saying that, we can expect to see a huge increase in the use of Bluetooth and Bluetooth speakers. And broadcasting audio via Bluetooth on your new iPhone 7 will significantly drain your battery.

#3. The iPhone 7’s new wireless headphones

Apart from the usual criticisms that revolve around wireless headphones (poor sound quality, easy to lose, audio cutting in and out), there’s another issue that needs to be addressed.

Apple’s new wireless ear buds, the “Air Pods” are, as you guessed, completely without cables. So what do all wireless devices have in common? They need to be charged.

Does this mean I’m going to need another power bank just to keep my ear buds charged? Hopefully the answer is no.

Apple have had the foresight to include multiple charges from the case/charging pack for the Air Pods. This means 5 hours of battery for your head phones, plus 24 hours of charge that come straight from the portable charger that comes with the Air Pods.

So, you need to charge your Air Pod charger, which charges your Air Pods. If your Air Pod charger runs out of juice, you’re going to need to use your own portable charger to charge your charger. Confused yet?

The actual real life performance and battery life remains to be seen for the Air Pods, but we’re hopeful and we reckon it’s a good move by Apple.

#4. It’s a me, Mario!

Somewhat out of left field but certainly a contender for a potential battery killer – Mario!

That’s right, Apple announced recently that Nintendo’s foray into the smart phone gaming sector will be exclusive to the Apple Store. Nintendo’s huge following and early reviews of the game are predicting a surge in iPhone gaming.

The Pokemon GO phenomenon has been a monumental drain on battery life worldwide. It’s effect on the portable charger market has been super positive, with plenty of pokeball flavored power banks entering the scene.

If Nintendo’s debut game has a similar viral effect, will we see a need for an even bigger battery on the iPhone 7?

What about having to charge your phone and playing a game with no sound at the same time?

Take one look at commuters on their way home with their headphones in, power bank juicing up their device whilst playing the latest iPhone game.

The effects remain to be seen but mobile gamers know better than most that it’s one of the biggest battery assassins out there.

The good, the bad, the ugly

We can safely say at the very least the iPhone 7’s battery is bigger than previous models. Coming in at 2910mAh compared to the iPhone 6s’ 2750mAh. A small upgrade but appreciated nonetheless.

They’ve also reworked the way their camera works. It now has 2 lenses on the bigger model of the iPhone 7 and is apparently 30% more energy efficient.

Around the world, consumers asked Apple for a bigger battery and they got it, providing up to 2 hours more battery time depending on how you use your phone!

All in all, we’re not huge fans of doing away with the headphone jack. The foresight to essentially give the Air Pods their own power bank might just save them. Only time will tell if the new iPhone 7 will be this years biggest battery drainer and if it is, don’t worry…